Garam Masala is often used in Indian cooking. It's a blend of several Indian spices like cumin, cinnamon and turmeric. It takes a little time but it's so worth it. The result is so much more fragrant than the store-bought jars. It is used in a variety of Indian dishes, such as Tandoori chicken, palak paneer, dahls (lentils) and my Tandoori glazed roasted white seabass.
Masala in Urdu means "paste" and garam means "hot", and oh boy, believe me, it's spicy!
Ingredients
1 Tbs black peppercorns
2 Tbs fennel seeds
1 Tbs cardamom seeds, pod shells removed
3 Tbs cumin seeds
3 Tbs coriander seeds
1 Tbs celery seeds (optional)
2 Tbs sea salt
4 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
2 Tbs cayenne pepper
1/8 cup dried red chiles
2 Tbs onion powder (optional)
2 Tbs garlic powder (optional)
2 Tbs ginger powder (optional)
1 bay leaf, torn in half
1/2 Tbs turmeric powder (optional)
1/2 Tbs nutmeg, freshly ground
1/2 tsp citric acid powder (optional)
Preparation
In a wok, over high heat, dry roast and constantly stir cloves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, celery seeds, cinnamon sticks, chilies, ginger, onion and garlic powders and finally the bay leaf. Remove the wok from the stove and add turmeric, nutmeg and citric acid.
Put the spice mix in a grinder (I use a coffee grinder that I use exclusively for my spices), it should be finely ground. Sift through a strainer. Set aside until cool.
Fill in an airtight metal tin. Store in a cool, dark, dry area for up to 6 months (don't forget to label your food with the date). We make so much Indian food though, that we have to prepare a batch of garam masala once every 2 weeks!
Tips
This spice mix is very inexpensive if you buy all the spices at an Indian store. It can cost a lot more if you buy it at Safeway or Whole Foods.
All the ingredients that are marked "optional" are not the authentic garam masala. It's just the way I prepare my spice mix. If you want to make authentic garam masala, stick to the main ingredients such as cardamamom, bay leaves, black pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, nutmeg and red chilies.
I grate the nutmeg with a fine mesh microplane.
I use a fresh bay leaf from my garden, but you can use the dry version if you can't get your hands on fresh leaves.
Citric acid is a white powder that you can find in any Indian store.
If you like Indian cuisine, check out my Indian curry pot pie.
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See the last post: Vegetarian Thai Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce
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About Jackie
Hi! My name is Jacqueline Pham and I am a self-taught home cook based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I am French-Vietnamese, born and raised in Paris, France. I live with my husband Lulu and his family.
My hubby's family is from India, so our home is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines with all the rewards and challenges that you can imagine. There are vegetarians, meat-lovers and allergies of every kind. This site is a way for me to share my love of food and interact with all you Femme Fatales out there putting food on the table for your loved ones everyday.
